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New Consular Strategy 2019 – 2022 launched

Press release

16 May 2019

New Consular Strategy 2019 – 2022 launched

The Minster of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon T.D., today launched the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s first Consular Strategy, TravelWise: Staying safe and informed while travelling abroad.

Commenting on the development of the consular strategy, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, T.D. said:

“The number of Irish people traveling, working and living abroad is at record levels and with this comes a rising demand for consular assistance. We need to constantly adapt our consular services to these developments and that is what this consular strategy, our first, aims to do.”

He added: “In the context of Global Ireland 2025, as our network of Embassies and Consulates expands, this strategy also aims to ensure that we maintain the highest standard in the consular services available to our citizens.”

Launching the strategy, Minister Cannon remarked:

“As Minister with responsibility for the Diaspora and International Development, I know the importance of engaging with and supporting our citizens abroad and have seen at first hand the difference this support can make. Our commitment to maintaining this connection with our global Irish is a key priority of this Department.”

Minister Cannon added: “Irish people are travelling to new places and they are getting information in new ways. Good information is the key to safe travel. The Department’s free TravelWise App will continue to be promoted and developed to ensure that people know where to find the reliable, up-to-date travel advice they need, and that it is accessible to them wherever they are.”

ENDS Press Office16 May 2019

Note for editors:

- TravelWise: Staying safe and informed while travelling abroad has been developed to set out clear and ambitious objectives for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to improve the service it provides to Irish citizens abroad in distress. It sets out a vision for the development of consular assistance over four years and focuses on services and how citizens can be encouraged to adopt a safer approach to travel.